1,000 signatures reached
To: Licensing Committee of Tower Hamlets
HELP LOVE AFFAIR BASEMENT TO GET THE PERMANENT LICENSE
We, the undersigned, are calling on Tower Hamlets Council and their licensing committee to grant Love Affair Basement a permanent license, which was requested back in September 2024. Our brand new queer space is facing significant challenges that jeopardise our business. We have been forced to request temporary licenses each time we open, making it nearly impossible to keep our doors open full-time. This situation places immense pressure on us as we manage staff, bills, and rent.
Why is this important?
A Portuguese Love Affair was founded by Olga and Dina, who moved to the UK over 20 years ago from Portugal with the hope of bringing a piece of home to the community in London. We started as a shop in Columbia Road, 3 years later we extended to a Portuguese Love Affair on Hackney Road, this allowed us to create the foundation of real community, since we started serving food/drinks and most importantly events on our outside space, like concerts, performances and etc. Since this side of artistic expression gathered hundreds of people every time and the feedback was so positive we saw a real needed opportunity to extend this to our basement, creating Love Affair Basement. For over 11 years, we have successfully served this community, and with the expansion of our space, we aim to provide a platform for queer artists, foster community connections, and create a safe haven for minorities.
Unfortunately, our opening has been challenging due to a complaint from two neighbours, but we have been uplifted by the overwhelming support from all other neighbours and our community. We’re grateful for the generosity shown through our crowdfunding campaigns and parties, which raised around £10,000, just enough to help with some renovations and a bit of the employees salaries.
There is a large and very diverse community locally to Portuguese Love Affair who have no dedicated space for themselves. Obviously this space will not be exclusive, but since the loss of the Joiners Arms, the London Apprentice, the Green man etc.. LGBTQ+ friendly spaces are a
There is a large and very diverse community locally to Portuguese Love Affair who have no dedicated space for themselves. Obviously this space will not be exclusive, but since the loss of the Joiners Arms, the London Apprentice, the Green man etc.. LGBTQ+ friendly spaces are a
rarity and this would most certainly be a step towards allowing us to gather in a safe and welcoming space.
We urge all our regular and new supporters to sign this petition—not just for our business, but for the broader impact on the queer community in Tower Hamlets and surrounding areas. This petition is only available here on this website, and we need to gather as many signatures as possible by January 15th.
Additionally, we invite you to join us for the important negotiation meeting at 6:30 PM on January 21st at the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Whitechapel. Your presence can make a significant difference—together, we can show the council how vital Love Affair Basement is to our community.
Thank you from the Portuguese Love Affair and Love Affair Basement team for your unwavering support—whether through visiting our deli or basement, contributing to crowdfunding, or helping spread the word. We truly appreciate you, and we wish us all the best of luck!